Ansaldo Green Tech Obtains €317M to Build New AEM Electrolyzers

The Ministry of Business and Made in Italy issued a decree worth €317 million to support Ansaldo Green Tech’s IANUS project, scheduled for a six-year term. The funding was granted following the European Commission’s approval of the IPCEI Project in July 2022.

Project IANUS
Project IANUS includes:

• Building a new production line for AEM electrolyzers
• Expanding the research laboratories at Ansaldo’s Genova location
• Developing and industrializing modular electrolyzers

These modular systems will be available as 1 MW containerized or open design configurations, applicable to large-scale multi-MW industrial operations. Overall, IANUS aims to advance the energy transition by integrating hydrogen power, creating a sustainable environment within the industrial, power generation, and mobility sectors.

AEM Electrolyzers
Ansaldo Green Tech’s AEM electrolyzer can produce more than 500 kg of hydrogen per day, in addition to offering high efficiency and flexibility, pressurized hydrogen production, minimal usage of critical raw materials, and lower water consumption. In November 2024, the company finalized the sale of its first 1-MW AEM electrolyzer.

AEM electrolyzer; image credit: Ansaldo Green Tech

Microturbine Development

In May 2024, the ATS group—led by Ansaldo Green Tech with participation from Maps Group, SIMVO, and SIGE—began studying and creating a zero-impact microturbine prototype that uses fuels such as hydrogen for microgrids and energy communities. The consortium was awarded funding through the Ligura Region’s FILSE institution to develop the new microturbine.

The Maps Group will implement the ROSE platform to monitor and coordinate the microturbine’s usage with variable and non-programmable energy loads. Intelligent systems can manage and optimize the entire system while integrating renewable sources. At the project's conclusion, a microgrid nucleus will be created at Ansaldo Energia’s headquarters using photovoltaics and the prototype microturbine.

More Ansaldo Energia News

In early February, Ansaldo Energia agreed to provide a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)-fueled turbine for Ireland’s Tarbert Next-Generation Power Station, a 300-MW facility set to run entirely on sustainable biofuel. The AE94.3A turbine will be paired with a generator to deliver fossil-free power using HVO, a diesel alternative made from waste feedstocks.

The simple-cycle Tarbert Power Station will support and contribute to Ireland’s electricity supply, securing electrical power and providing critical electricity to the supply system during peak demand. Also, the plant will Ireland’s expanding renewable generation capacity. SSE Thermal’s project aligns with the European Union’s sustainability standards as Ireland moves toward cleaner energy solutions—HVO is lower carbon than traditional fossil fuels.

Also, Terna awarded two lots of a public tender for five synchronous compensators, valued at ~ €300 million, to Ansaldo Energia. This acquisition marks the 13^th Italian grid stabilization plant in operation with Ansaldo Energia’s equipment, using a total of 15 synchronous condensers. Ansaldo Energia will service its five 250-MVAR synchronous condensers, which will be installed and commissioned in the next five years. They are equipped with the “flywheel system” that uses a vacuum chamber to minimize mechanical losses caused by air friction.

Synchronous condensers regulate reactive power exchanged with the grid and improve voltage profiles. This significantly contributions to the grid’s short-circuit power. They also help stabilize the grid by providing an inertia contribution to avoid sudden voltage or frequency changes.